Ruth 3:8–12 (ESV) —
8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman
lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am
Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a
redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my
daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you
have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask,
for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer
nearer than I.
NOTE: Boaz is
surprised not just by her proximity but by her request. The phrase "spread
your wings over your servant" is a Jewish idiom for marriage. Ruth
initiates it, surprising Boaz since he assumed she would want to marry a
younger man. But Boaz is also a man who obeys the law, and there is technically
a nearer relative who could redeem Mahlon's land and marry Mahlon's widow. The
very fact that Boaz knew that suggests that he had already thought through the
issue should it come to past. Only when Ruth initiates the offer, does he take
action to see it through. Boaz does the right thing according to the law. He is
prudent and he is honest. He leaves it to God. This is a good reminder for me
as I sit in a position where I have a decision before me. I must be prudent,
and do the right thing, and ultimately trust God for the final answer.
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